Hi, fellows of the sea and land.
In the beginning of April, we organised a course about the Projeto Albatroz Observers on Board Program. In three days we gave lectures on the identification of oceanic birds, sharks, rays and others, sea turtles and interactions of killer-whales and false killer-whales.
Thirty-five students came from several universities from Santos and other Brazilian states in order to be capable to support the Albatross Task Force (ATF) job in different ports. During this time, the students had contact with experiment observers who shared their experiences on board the longline vessels, giving tips and relating their feelings on the fishing cruises.
Beyond that, several activities were accomplished and the students visited the Santos Fishing Terminal and they had the chance to know the longline vessel FV Kaiko Maru and after, with my advice they built a new tori-line.
I made the proposal to install these tori-lines in the next fishing vessel. During this time, I was informed that the FV Camburi was returning to the Fishing Terminal due to technical problems, and fortunately I had the chance to speak with the skipper, asking his authorisation to go on board. This same skipper commented that he tested the tori-lines and at the end we left during the Eastern.
We navigated to the south (Parana state), reaching open sea area and we started to set the longline. Without asking the crew, they installed the tori-lines and for my pleasure this installation became a routine for them as result of ATF work. Soon I visualized the image that any observer on board loved - the vessel setting the longline with the tori-lines installed and the fishermen very calm with the new technology on board.
For my happiness, I saw some seabirds of rare beauty flying safely behind the vessel. A big hug for all of you and see you soon.
Hi albatross fans!
It's been a long time since the last time I wrote. Too much 'dry land' business which confined me to my mother city. However, we had a visit from Ben Sullivan, manager of the Global Seabird Programme. It was really great to finally meet the guy who runs the show. Lots of exciting future plans on the cards!
So after all this, I found myself longing for the big blue and finally got the chance to go out there. This time it was a short trip onboard a tuna boat which uses a different fishing method called pole-and-line. The idea is to steam towards the trawl and hake longline fishing grounds where tuna usually hang around, attracted to the discarded fish and offal.
When the fish is found, pieces of bait are thrown to attract the tuna to the surface and when they come in close they are taken with big baited rods and poles. The birds steal the chunks of bait which are supposed to attract the fish! This causes a big disturbance and frustrates the fishermen.
Since no one has ever investigated this, I thought that it could be a nice way to spend the weekend. We left Thursday night and reached the fishing grounds the next morning. It is almost winter time and thousands of seabirds are here, coming to spend the non breeding season in the rich cape waters.
I took the opportunity while we were steaming from one trawler to the other to check if they use tori lines, as they are required by law. The good news is that they all did! It is amazing to see how it works as the albatrosses just can't get through and have no contact with the deadly warps.
During the short trip we had four birds caught on the hooks during fishing operation: three Cape gannets and one white-capped albatross. They were hooked on the wing, feet, bill and one even swallowed the hook. Jeremy, the skipper, took care of the birds with great skill, releasing them very quickly and trying to avoid injuries. All the birds were alive but the consequences of their injuries are unknown.
There are about 200 tuna pole vessels in South Africa which makes you wonder what implications this has for our seabirds. I want to thank Jeremy and Charlie of the 'Terrynammy' for the hospitality. I'm sure we will keep in touch and try to get more data from this fishery.
I am off to sea next week, back on the longline, so keep well and SEA you later.
Meidad
There are only two commercial harbours in Namibia: Walvis Bay to the north and Luderitz in the south. Sandwich harbour, a former fishing port, is now a proclaimed Ramsar site (i.e. a site designated for international protection due to its wetland wildlife importance).
But, Walvis Bay is where we are focused. We are driving to Etale Fishing along wide roads with locals who have as equally wide smiles - to meet Charl Dreyer, their financial manager, before I board the hake trawl wet-fish vessel Resplendent.
The purpose of my trip is have to check out the situation regarding seabird interactions (deaths or casualties) with trawl warps (thick cables). The skipper Steven 'Steich' Milne from Aberdeen offers a firm hand shake and off we steam to northern waters. We also have an observer on board - a requirement for every Namibian vessel, irrespective of the fishery.
We departed from Walvis on 18 April and as the winter migrant birds are yet to arrive, I am expecting low seabird numbers. For the entire trip the south wind registers a Force 2/3. The isobars run in a north-south direction and we are trawling parallel to them and thus experience few cross winds with the warps (cables).
The most common species is the white-chinned petrel with maximum numbers of 800 in the vessel wake. Atlantic yellow-nosed albatrosses number 80 with low numbers of Indian yellow-nosed albatrosses.
There are very few black-browed or shy albatrosses, Cory's and sooty shearwaters and reasonable numbers of Cape gannets. One spectacled petrel made a cameo appearance and 60 miles out at sea, a laughing dove monitored my monitoring!
I am delighted with the extremely low numbers of seabird interactions with the warps due to wind conditions but, more importantly, that no target species and very few fish of any other species are being discarded via the scuppers (deck water drain-off holes).
On the bridge I query this with Steich and he informs me that Namibian regulations stipulate no discarding of fish species (offal which would attract hungry seabirds) with the exception of species that are unfit for human consumption. By implementing this regulation, Namibia has helped conservation.
Three days into fishing, we are boarded by inspectors from the patrol vessel Nathaniel Maxuilili who check the fishing gear and send us on our way again. The fishing season ended on 30 April and all vessels have to dock, which we do on the morning of the 28th.
On a personal note, I was thrilled with the great timing as it falls on a Saturday - so Steich and I can get to see some Premiership football!
Good fishing...
We are a little below parallel of 30º S next to the meridian 48º W. The sea is in such a hard way and we are sailing in direction to a cold front that approaches.
The unusual meeting with another longline fishing vessel, also from Itajaí Port, the FV Ipe VI, brought a very interesting subject relative to another mitigation measure - the 'night setting' of longlines.
Speaking with Mr. Rogerio, the skipper of Akira, I commented that other skippers used the night setting in order to minimize the capture of seabirds in longline. I questioned the reason why he was not setting lines at night (he starts the setting around 4 o'clock in afternoon), considering that such mitigation measure is known as a very effective measure.
The skipper explained that this measure, even efficient, is hardly used by vessels that operate with equipment operated at longer than 20 nautical miles, because, usually longline setting finished in the middle of the night. If setting starts later, the crew have to work during all night and start the longline hauling early in the morning. This would be very tiring for the crew.
In the words of the master: 'we do everything we can (in relation to preserve the seabirds), but my crew comes first'. I always see each crew as a great family; in this case what I see is a zealous father trying to make the best for all.
As FV Akira operates with 37 nautical miles of longline, it is really difficult using such measure, but it means that the use of tori line and making bait less visible to albatrosses by dyeing it blue is a more relevant bird-saving device in cases such as this.